1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to storage systems used to store various items. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular storage system which facilitates the organized, space-efficient and readily accessible storage of various items.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of storage systems exist for the storage of various items such as tools, screws, nuts, bolts and other small items which require storage around a house. Frequently, such items are stored together in a drawer. However, this method causes mixing of the items and difficulty in finding the desired item.
Another common manner of storing small items involves the use of jars or cans to contain the items. However, this requires storage space to accommodate the jars or cans. For example, a common practice in the past involved the use of glass jars such as food product jars, the lids of which were nailed to a wooden board or shelf. The parts were placed in the jar, which was then threaded onto the lid. This, however, required proper alignment of the jar for mounting, as well as gripping of the jar while removing the jar from the lid to avoid breakage. If the lid is not tightly secured to the shelf, then turning of the jar could cause turning of the lid such that the jar could not be installed or removed without using the other hand to hold the lid.
A modular storage system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,359. The modular storage system is adapted for mounting to a support surface such as a wall or the underside of a cabinet. The system includes a base having multiple adjacent lid channels. A specially-designed lid cover removably engages a corresponding one of multiple jars to close each of the jars. With the jars attached to the respective lid covers, each lid cover is slidably inserted in a corresponding lid channel to store the items in the jar. When access to the items in the jar is desired, the lid cover of the jar is slidably removed from the lid channel and then removed from the jar to provide access to the items. The modular storage system in the '359 patent, however, lacks the facility to separately store items which are contained in the same jar.
Accordingly, there is a need for a modular storage system which provides the facility to store items in separate containers in a space-efficient and accessible manner, as well as separately store different items in the same container.